Whether you are a patient or visitor at West Hills Hospital & Medical center, we want your experience with us to be as pleasant as possible. We have provided helpful information to help you during your stay or while visiting a patient in the hospital.

Esophageal cancer is a malignant growth of tissues that line the inner surface of the esophagus.

The esophagus is the tube that connects your throat with your stomach. It spans the length of your chest, between your lungs, behind your heart, and in close proximity to your back bone. The esophagus is a complex, four-layered muscular organ. It sends food into your stomach with a series of rhythmic contractions called peristalsis.

Squamous cell carcinoma—This type of cancer begins in the squamous cells, the top layer of the lining of the esophagus. Squamous cell carcinoma can occur anywhere in the esophagus. The incidence has been decreasing, accounting for less than half of all esophageal cancers in the United States.

Adenocarcinoma—This type of cancer arises from Barrett’s esophagus. Barrett’s esophagus occurs when the squamous cells in the lower esophagus are exposed to acid from the stomach due to
acid reflux. The acid causes the cells to change from squamous cells, which are flat, to cells shaped like columns. These column-shaped cells are the hallmark of Barrett’s esophagus and can eventually become an adenocarcinoma.

The incidence of adenocarcinoma, particularly in the United States, has been rising for many years.

Who Is Affected

Esophageal cancer is 3-4 times more common in men than in women. It is also more common in countries outside the United States.

Squamous cell carcinoma—More common in African-Americans, in people aged 60 years and older, and outside the US.

Adenocarcinoma—More common in Caucasians, people aged 50 years and older, and in the United States.

Causes and Complications

There are many risk factors for esophageal cancer that appear to be causative. Many are ingested agents that do damage directly to the esophagus, like excess alcohol, nitrates, toxins in pickled vegetables, and very hot beverages. Other irritants that increase the risk of esophageal cancer are radiation, tobacco, smoked opiates, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Human papillomavirus is a sexually transmitted infection. Infection with certain types of HPV is associated with esophageal cancer.

Ionizing radiation, as experienced by survivors of the atomic bomb, has been associated with a higher rate of esophageal cancer.
Obesity
is also associated with a higher risk. Additionally, the condition may run in families. Plummer-Vinson syndrome (a rare disorder characterized by
anemia
due to a low iron level and low levels of certain nutrients) has been associated with a higher risk for esophageal cancer in women residing in Sweden.
Celiac disease, a disorder characterized by malabsorption, has also been linked to this form of cancer.

Esophageal cancer restricts and ultimately prevents swallowing, leading to weight loss, malnutrition, and starvation. Food and liquids not swallowed can be diverted into the lungs, causing choking, aspiration, and
pneumonia. Inability to swallow liquids can lead to death by dehydration. Occasionally, the cancer erodes into the breathing tubes creating a tracheo-esophageal fistula, through which food passes directly into the lungs.

Metastases from esophageal cancer can lodge anywhere in the body, most frequently ending up in the liver, lungs, brain, and bones. About 80% of patients with this disease die within five years of diagnosis.

Revision Information

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.

What are the risk factors for cancer of the esophagus? American Cancer Society website. Available at: http://www.cancer.org/cancer/esophaguscancer/detailedguide/esophagus-cancer-risk-factors. Updated April 22, 2014. Accessed May 27, 2014.